Are fitness apps real or hype? These Olympians swear by them

Canadian National Women’s hockey player Tessa Bonhomme uses the Nike Training App to stay in shape.Jeff McIntosh
/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

Montreal’s Jennifer Heil says fitness apps help her stay in top condition.Mike Ridewood

Tessa Bonhomme a member of Team Canada’s women’s hockey team showcased various dresses while in her regular surroundings at a rink, Carleton University Ice House .Ashley Fraser
/ Ashley Fraser

Olympic medalist Jennifer Heil.Ted Rhodes
/ Calgary Herald

VANCOUVER, BC - SEPTEMBER 05: Sarah Vaillancourt #26 celebrates her goal with Gina Kingsbury #27 and Tessa Bonhomme #25 for a 1-0 lead over Sewden during the Semifinals of the Hockey Canada Cup on September 5, 2009 in Vancouver, Canada. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)Harry How
/ Getty Images

Tessa Bonhomme a member of Team Canada’s women’s hockey team showcased various dresses while in her regular surroundings at a rink.Ashley Fraser
/ Ashley Fraser

Olympic moguls medalist Jennifer Heil.Ted Rhodes
/ Calgary Herald

Tessa Bonhomme a member of Team Canada’s women’s hockey team showcased various dresses while in her regular surroundings at a rink, Carleton University Ice House.Ashley Fraser
/ Ashley Fraser

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Usually when we see someone red in the face staring exasperatedly at their smartphone, we assume they’ve just downloaded a new operating system or perhaps received a doozy of a break-up text. If you watch this scene unfold in the setting of a gym, however, chances are that poor soul is using one of the increasingly common workout apps that have hit the market recently and have just been instructed to do 12 more burpees.

A quick search for “workout” in the app stores reveals pages of fitness-focused widgets, from the big name athletic brands to the no names, all claiming to be able to whip us into shape with a little dedication. And while they certainly aren’t all created equal, there are a few apps garnering high praise from some of the fittest folks on earth.

After giving birth to son Danik in May of 2013, Canadian Olympic moguls champion Jennifer Heil, began using the Nike Training Club app to squeeze in high-intensity workouts during her breaks from mommy duty. “It’s amazing, and best of all, it’s totally free,” Heil says of the extensive workout library (to date it houses more than 115 complete workouts and 120 drills) Nike offers to Training Club members. “I could make workouts up for myself, but without the intervals and the timing they program for the user, they would be way less intense.”

Heil isn’t the only Olympic-level fan of the app, either. Tessa Bonhomme, a member of Canada’s Olympic hockey team since 2004 has also gone on record about using the app as part of her training regime. With more than 8 million users worldwide (though it’s unclear how many of those are actually using the app regularly), the NTC is clearly offering people something they like.

Launched last summer, Reebok’s fitness app takes a slightly more personalized approach to their workout programming, allowing users to design their sessions around specific activities they already like and new activities they’d like to try. “Users simply need to select the length of the program they require, followed by the percentage of time they would like to focus on each activity and the app generates a routine based on those preferences,” explains vice president of Reebok Canada, Michael Rossi.

Now, if you’re thinking there’s no way these apps can get people sweating—and, more importantly, seeing continuous physical progress—the same way that an in-the-flesh personal trainer can, think again. Most programs, at least on the big brand name apps, are designed by superstar athletes (or at the very least, the trainers responsible for their physiques) like professional surfer Lakey Peterson and Serena Williams. There’s no doubt that these programs were designed extremely thoughtfully to maximize minimal workout time. If executed properly and regularly, they will get results.

“The app offers some of the same benefits that come with having a personal trainer, like

personalized and targeted training, but the NTC app is more accessible,” says Nike Canada’s communications director, Claire Rankine. “No matter the user’s fitness ability, budget, schedule or location, their next training session is always just a click away.”

This may be true, but I don’t think trainers need to worry about the future of their industry just yet. Where these wallet-friendly alternatives to real life drill sergeants drop the medicine ball, so to speak, is in the motivation department. You really need to be a self-starter to reap the full benefits.

While an Olympian like Heil has no problem getting herself off the couch and pushing herself to the max during her app-instructed workouts, the average Joe and Jane likely find hitting the gym alone with their phone pretty unappealing after a long day at the office. I won’t name names, but I know one fellow with no less than a dozen different fitness apps on his smartphone. The number of times he set foot in the gym to use them this past year? Let’s just say he spent more time downloading them than exploring what they can do for his bod.

With an app as your training partner there are no scheduled appointments and no real repercussions to not showing up (though there are a few options out there that allow you to set up a monetary penalty for not following through with your goal setting). With a trainer you have built in accountability. If you aren’t getting it done—or you’re doing it wrong—chances are they will call you on it. That’s what you are paying them for, after all.

If you aren’t using your training app, you won’t be collecting points or unlocking new programs, but for most folks that’s really not enough of a threat to make them put their butts in gear to do the “butt blaster” workout if they aren’t in the mood.

“If it’s good enough for an Olympian, it’s good enough for me!” Seems like a logical sentiment in regards to getting in shape, but it’s also quite possible that these pocket-sized workouts are good enough for world class athletes precisely because they have the drive and determination of, well, world class athletes. Now, if there were a fitness app that provided the secrets to staying focused like an Olympian, we’d all be doing those red-faced burpees, smartphone in hand.

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